


Control Issues

by idiom



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Schönberg/Boublil, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University, Explicit Sexual Content, Knotting, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-15
Updated: 2013-02-15
Packaged: 2017-11-29 09:57:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/685660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idiom/pseuds/idiom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Enjolras is the leading voice in the Omega Lib movement on campus. Grantaire doesn't find anything weird about that... apart from the fact that Enjolras is an alpha.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not the first person to write an ExR A/B/O fic so I don't feel like a weirdo. LOL
> 
> The French interjections I used are listed in the end note. (Though, you won’t be confused because they’re said in context.)

 -o-

             It was the first day of the semester and Grantaire was not enjoying the horribly confusing layout of the campus he’d just transferred to. The ancient stone halls were like a labyrinth complete with dead-ends, random staircases and great wooden doors that looked as though they hadn’t been opened in years. Grantaire felt that it shouldn’t have been so difficult to navigate the bloody place especially given that he had visited before transferring. At least he had friends he could count on to show him around... if he could even find them.

            He was supposed to meet Marius at some place called _Abaissé_ Café (and with that name it didn’t sound very nice, but apparently it was the best place on campus). Marius had been attending the University in Paris for going on three years while Grantaire had been at another school studying art. They both grew up in Paris, but Grantaire had only met Marius through a mutual friend a few months before the start of the new term.

           With a sigh, Grantaire looked over his schedule for the day. His black curls flopped into his eyes as he stood in the middle of a breezeway, just staring down at the map and schedule leaving other students to awkwardly navigate their way around him.

           Monday, he read. Three hours in Studio Art 330 and then European Art History 401 for another three hours. Both were being taught in English - damn exchange students - and they were expected to have the (more expensive) bilingual versions of the books.

           Grantaire let out a yet another heavy sigh. He hadn’t even bought his damn books yet, but at least he still had another three hours before class. Plenty of time to meet up with Marius and get him play tour guide.

            Grantaire followed his map to the ABC Café (not _Abaissé_ , so things were looking up already). He realized with indifference that his slow and careful pace was holding up everyone behind him when a girl pushed passed him shooting a particularly annoyed glance over her shoulder as she did. Grantaire just smiled at her, which to his delight only seemed to piss her off even more. He was small enough; it wasn’t like going around was that hard.

            Grantaire felt his phone vibrate and pulled it out of his pocket as he headed into the café. He looked down at the device on his way through the door and at that moment another similarly distracted man nearly ran into him as he was leaving. A dollop of hot coffee splashed onto the front of Grantaire’s shirt startling him into looking up.

            “ _Aïe_!”

            The man stopped and turned. “ _Désolé_! I’m running late.”

            Grantaire was about to shoot back some surly reply, but it got caught on the tip of his tongue when he looked up into an apologetic face. The man stared right back at him, dark-blue eyes peering out from under a mop of wavy, flaxen hair. For someone who was just attending a few hours of class, the man was dressed to the nines in his business wear. The only thing that stood out to make it casual was his sharp red blazer.

            He was strikingly handsome… and tall. Grantaire was fond of both those features in an alpha. And he was obviously an alpha. It was easy to tell without rudely scenting the man just by observing the confidence with which he held himself, even after being such a klutz.

            Grantaire was taken in by the package this man presented. His usual sarcastic attitude didn’t surface and he simply replied to the man’s apology with, “It’s fine” and almost smiled at the relieved expression he got in return. He watched the man leave before looking back down to read the message he'd just received.

            It read simply, " _Where are you? - M"_

            Marius. Grantaire rolled his eyes before turning to scan the room in search of his friend. A movement caught his eyes and he looked over to see him sitting at a table near a window in the far corner of the café. Marius was waving at him enthusiastically to signal him over. His cheery disposition made Grantaire wonder how two people with such differing personalities – he and Marius – had ever managed to become friends.

            Drawing a breath, Grantaire wandered towards the table. He exhaled as he sat down, inspecting the stain on the front of his shirt. Pulling at the light-green coloured fabric, he made a short ‘tsk’ noise. “Great, now I get to wear this all day.”

            “Good afternoon to you too, Grantaire.” Marius smirked. “I saw you come in. I thought you would have had Enjolras’ head off.”

            Grantaire looked up at Marius, confused. “Enjolras?”

            “That bloke who spilt his coffee on you," Marius gestured towards the area in which the event had happened. “I was just chatting with him before you came. He's my roommate. My best friend is a friend of his best friend, it all worked out. He would have joined us if it weren’t for some club thing he needed to get to. He’s a busy guy, always got a thousand things going on at once, but he’s usually more careful. You though…” Marius chuckled. “I thought you’d go in for the kill.”

            Grantaire stared at Marius blankly. His friend talked a mile a minute and really… Enjolras? Grantaire couldn’t care less. So, he simply sat back in his chair with all the enthusiasm of a cat on a rainy day and huffed, “Not worth the effort.”

            “Mm," Marius hummed with a short understanding nod. "Hungover?”

            Grantaire grunted. It wasn't really much an answer but it was as much as he cared to divulge. By the look on Marius' face he could tell that wasn't enough.

            “You went out drinking _again_?”

            Something about where Marius put his emphasis made Grantaire bristle. “It was the last day before school! Besides, if my drinking habits weren’t always the topic of conversation, it wouldn’t be ‘again’,” he retorted in a snide tone. He didn’t feel any need to play nice; it was any of Marius’ business.

            Marius rubbed the back of his neck. “ _Désolé_. Ah, I’ll try not to bring it up.”

            “You always say that.” Grantaire pulled a face that made Marius smile, knowing he was forgiven. “Anyway, enough about my problems, there are too many and we're here to talk about your thing.”

            Marius' expression when dreamy and he let out a sigh. He pressed one hand to his chest and began to speak. "Grantaire..."

            " _Mon dieu_ , it looks like you're going to propose."

            "What no!" Marius laughed. "I met someone."

            "Really?" Grantaire's raised a single brow in an expression of surprise. Marius was so involved with his studies; Grantaire would have though a girl was the last thing on his mind. But here he was nodding enthusiastically.

            Grantaire smirked and pressed for more details. "Go on then, what's her name?"

            There was silence then Marius laughed hesitantly. His face got a bit red and he rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't actually know."

            "Now see, Marius.” Grantaire tapped the table in front of him pointedly “You've confused meeting someone with stalking them."

            "No! It's not like that I mean... I know she's single and she's one of the professors daughters and she's a beta-"

            "The longer you speak the creepier this gets," Grantaire said in a sing-song voice. "So you know she's a beta, but you didn't ask her name."

           "I didn't scent her! You know I’m not that much of a creep don’t you?” As Grantaire began to respond with a sarcastic, ‘well…’ Marius quickly added, “I just talked to Éponine, apparently they knew each other - and I quote - forever ago."

          Grantaire let out a half-laugh. Éponine was his roommate. He'd known her since they were both thirteen. They’d met one day in back in collège when all the omegas had to go for a special Sex-Ed class, the two of them decided to skip out down to the local bakery. Sadly, when Grantaire moved to the country, Éponine had stayed in Paris. He visited her in town most weekends though, that was actually how he had met Marius - through the group of friends that she hung out with on campus. Visiting Paris made Grantaire wish he’d never left. When picking a university to attend, he had originally wanted to get out of the city. That's how he ended up spending his first two years at an art institute in rural southern France.

          Grantaire couldn't say he was surprised that Éponine was helping Marius. It was safe to say, she was obsessed with the boy like he was obsessed with this new girl. "So now you have an accomplice to aid your stalking," he muttered with a raised brow.

          "Come on Grantaire! Can you just be happy for me?" Marius whined.

          Grantaire relented running one hand over his face. "I'm sorry, of course! You’re in love! It's beautiful! Invite me to the wedding."

          “Haha.” Marius huffed. Anyone could hear sarcasm in Grantaire's tone a mile away. "Well, I'm gonna go see her, she’s at the clubs booths. Come with me?"

            "So I can be an accomplice too? You realize what would happen to a pretty little thing like me in prison, don’t you?" he fluttered his eyelashes for show.

            Marius clasped his hands, ready to beg. “Grantaire…”

            Grantaire wanted to say no but the pitiful expression on Marius' face caught him and he ended up relenting with an exasperated, "fine."

-o-

          Rickety tables turned club booths lined the already crammed halls and the small open areas in between were crowded with students. It was kind of overwhelming, but also neat. Apparently there was a club for just about everything from the frats and the sororities to the French Lit discussion group.

          “Marius! We have a wine tasting club!” Grantaire pulled at his friend’s sleeve.

          “Don’t get distracted! Look her sorority table should be-“

          He was cut off when a girl scurried past them holding up a poster. "Cosette! What do you think of-?"

          Marius spun around. His eyes landed on a booth across the hall.  “Cosette,” he half whispered to himself.

          Grantaire followed Marius’ line of sight and spotted a smiling blonde working at one of the sorority booths. Marius’ poor unknowing victim, Cosette, was ushering people towards the booth while simultaneously handing out flyers about the history of their sorority. Grantaire looked back to see Marius, gazing like Romeo would have at Juliet. It sickened him.

          "Well at least now you know her name, now,” Grantaire mumbled. “Even if you're still too much a coward to actually go talk to her."

          Marius let out an exasperated sigh. "I do everything all wrong!" he half-laughed, still staring at Cosette with a dreamy look on his face.

          " _Eh bien_... just keep creeping from afar then, why don’t you.” Grantaire rolled his eyes. Marius didn’t seem to be moving and Grantaire didn’t exactly want to get lost, so he ended up standing awkwardly next to his friend looking around at the other tables. Every once and a while, Marius would let out a little sigh. Grantaire literally wanted to be sick.

          He was contemplating just calling up Éponine and having her show him around when he spotted a vaguely familiar face. “Hey! Isn't that your friend from earlier?” He gestured towards one of the booths with a nod.    

            Marius looked over. “Enjolras? Oh yeah. Looks like he’s by himself, I guess something must be up with Joly and Feuilly.”

          Grantaire frowned. " _Bon d’accord_ … what's he doing at the Omega Lib booth? He’s not an omega." Grantaire let his confusion resound in his tone. He couldn’t have been. As Grantaire thought these things he mentally kicked himself for his own social prejudices. But still... what was an alpha doing leading a campaign for omega rights?

          “Ah, he’s definitely an alpha. All of my roommates are.” Marius observed Enjolras with his arms crossed over his chest. "They do a lot of social justice stuff around the city, but Enjolras has mainly been doing stuff on campus with a few of our other friends recently. I think it's pretty cool that an alpha is lending his voice to the omega rights society," he said with a shrug.

          “ _Ha_!" Grantaire had to resist the urge to scowl at Marius' simplicity. "I'll bet the only reason he is such a strong advocate of omega rights is because he think it'll make us all wet for him."

          " _Mon dieu_ , Grantaire," Marius hissed cringing at his friends words. He looked around embarrassed to see if anyone else had heard. "Look I know I'm just a beta and thus I don't really get to have an opinion on this sort of thing-"

            Grantaire smirked, waiting to hear Marius' opinion anyway.

            "-You're wrong about Enjolras. I know you think that just because he's an alpha he must have some ulterior motive, but that's just not true." Marius' lips thinned into a serious expression. "He had to drop a lot of stuff with Courfeyrac and Combeferre so he could work on this front. If you got to know him better you'd see how passionate he is about this cause."

            Grantaire let out a barking laugh. "Passionate? I'm sure." He turned back towards Enjolras. He uncrossed his arms and smirked. " _Eh bien_ , we should test your theory!"

            "Grantaire..." Marius let out a sigh as he watched his friend stride confidently towards Enjolras, but he didn't move to stop him.

            "Be nice!" He called out.

-o-

            Enjolras spoke in a manner that captured and held the attention of anyone who stopped long enough to hear him out. He had a commanding air to him that was appraised in all alphas but more often than not unattained. While he was deathly serious, there was still something attractive about him, like a statue, cold and firm but pleasing to look at.

            “The reality of our current system is that there hasn’t been enough change to the old laws that unfairly dictate what some in our society are not allowed to do.” Enjolras’ voice carried that passion Marius spoke of before, but Grantaire needed to hear more. “And it’s not just the laws. It’s our mentality. The hive mind that is society needs to learn to recognise that we are all, as dictated by our intellect, equals and we are not slaves to our biological differences.”

            _Inspiring words_ , Grantaire thought to himself as he a few people around him murmured in agreement. There was a short break in Enjolras tirade and he decided to step in.

"What would you say to all the people out there who think omegas are just breeding stock? Only as good as the children they can and have brought into this world?" Grantaire asked with his most charming smile in place. He felt a sense of accomplishment when he heard someone gasp behind him.

            Enjolras’ eyes were on him then. A kind of recognition crossed his face, but he seemed confused. Then he spotted the coffee stain and cringed.

            Composing himself he replied, "I would tell them that those types of prejudices are backwards… out-dated.”

            "And wrong?" Grantaire added.

            Enjolras nodded curtly, calm though his brow had creased into a frown. " _Bien sûr_."

            "Well, if it is as you say an ‘out-dated’ concept why do so many, old and young, subscribe to those beliefs?" Before he could even finish articulating the question he could already see Enjolras perk up, ready with an answer.

            “That has a lot to do with how they have been brought up.” He was enthusiastic in his reply. “There is currently a lack of quality sex education in schools. I believe we need to better educate all the sexes when they’re young about how biology will inevitably affect them in more adult situations. It’s part of our teen outreach program.”

            Granatire watched wearily as Enjolras turned to reach for a pamphlet off the display table. He honestly wasn’t interested in a pamphlet; he wanted to have a discussion. Crossing his arms over his chest, he brought Enjolras' attention back to him.

            “Another question: why should omega not be allowed to go out where they like just because there is a tiny chance that I may get attacked by some rampant alpha?” Pleased with himself, Grantaire cocked his head to one side and waited for a response.

            Enjolras frowned sadly and he cleared his throat. “I hope eventually we can live in a world where a young omega could go where they please and wouldn’t have to fear that happening.”

            “But you work on the assumption that omega do.”

            “They do what? Do go out?" Enjolras frowned, seemingly confused when Grantaire shook his head. “Oh. Fear. You’re saying they don't?”

            “Not one bit,” Grantaire answered matter-of-factly.

            Enjolras mirrored Grantaire’s posture with his arms crossed over his chest, taking the challenge. “And do you speak for all omegas everywhere do you?”

            “Well, I’ll give it a shot since I am one.”

            “Yes, I could tell.” Enjolras seemed to regret these words as soon as they left his mouth. His face pinched.

            “Oh, could you really? Did you scent me?” Grantaire whispered, with a feigned expression of shock. “A lot of people find that very inappropriate to do without asking these days.”

            “I- of course I didn’t do it on purpose, it’s kind of hard not to. You obviously aren’t on-” Enjolras seemed to stop himself, on the verge of saying something that could again be construed as offensive. Pinching the bridge of his nose he muttered an apology.

            Grantaire shoot him a cheeky grin. He knew he was an odd one. There were very few omegas who weren’t on suppressants those days. The one-a-day tablet eliminated the more bothersome aspects of going into heat and repressed scent. Still, just because Grantaire chose to go “au-natural” didn’t mean it wasn’t rude to scent him without his permission.

            “Naughty boy,” he murmured for their ears only.

            Enjolras sucked in a breath. He looked at Grantaire, standing in front of him doing his best to look the picture of innocence with big blue eyes and his hands clasped behind his back. A front if ever there was one.

“If you don't view going out in certain public places as a problem then why would you bring it up?” Enjolras asked in an effort to get back to their previous topic.

            Grantaire shrugged. His smile turned into a little smirk. “I wanted to see what you’d say. Now I know your heart’s in the right place, even if the liberation movement is destined to be swept under the rug by anyone with any actual power to do anything.”

            Enjolras fixed Grantaire with an ambivalent gaze. “For someone who seems to be in support of some of our more promising objectives you’re quite the pessimist.”

            “Promising,” Grantaire repeated slowly, pursing his lips. “Your word, not mine.”

            Enjolras continued to stare at him for a long moment, his expression unchanging. To his credit, Grantaire held the gaze. He wasn’t just going to bow his head and blush while an alpha sized him up. Even the thought made him want to laugh.

            “What’s your name?” Enjolras asked finally.

            “Grantaire.”

            The alpha nodded. “Enjolras,” he said in return.

            “I know,” Grantaire replied quickly. “I’m friends with that clod over there.” he nodded towards Marius who was leaning against a wall across from Cosette’s sorority’s booth. Every once and a while he would visibly sigh while he stared at her, a dreamy, far-away look in his eyes.

            “Ah, Marius?” Enjolras actually rolled his eyes a bit at the lovesick fool. “You’re friends? Why have we not been introduced before?”

            Grantaire shrugged. “I only met him at the end of last semester.”

            “Ah,” Enjolras nodded. “Well, I’m one of his roommates.”

            “I know,” Grantaire repeated his earlier phrase, but this time in a teasing tone. Enjolras seemed to flush slightly at the way he purred. Grantaire counted that as a small victory against the outwardly stern alpha.

            He smiled wide. "Well, I'll let you get back to leading the revolution. I'm sure you have leaflets to hand out or something."

            Enjolras chuckled. “ _Eh oui_. But hey, since we have a mutual friend I’m sure I'll see you soon.”

            Grantaire smiled back at him. “I’m sure you will.”

-o-

            They all began meeting up for a morning cup of coffee at the café: Grantaire, Marius and most of his friends. There was Enjolras of course, and their roommates, Courfeyrac and Combeferre, and Joly and Feuilly who apparently worked with Enjolras on the Omega Lib front. Needless to say they had a crowded little table.

            Grantaire was a bit surprised to find that Joly was training to be a doctor and that he and Feuilly were both fellow omegas. On the other hand, Courfeyrac and Combeferre, like Marius had mentioned, were alphas. That fact had originally made Grantaire a bit wary for no particular reason. All through school and even at the art institute, he’d never had any close friends who were alphas. These two were generally nice blokes. Grantaire knew it shouldn't have, but it surprised him how... normal they were.

          After their charged initial encounter, Grantaire found he got on pretty well with Enjolras, even if the man's idealism made him want to gag sometimes. Enjolras’ optimism about the equality movement made him want to drink until he forgot exactly how unequal things were. Grantaire couldn't see why no one else seemed to see the futility of the cause. And the fact that his heat was coming up didn’t help to take his mind off it.

-o-

          "Drink with me!" Grantaire shouted. He held out a bottle to Éponine just as she was getting in. He laughed when she side-eyed him hard from the front hall.  “I’m going into heat, I can feel it,” he drawled dramatically.

          “Uh-huh,” Éponine hummed, closing the door slowly behind her.

          “Come on! I want to get drunk before I have to spend half the week sobering up."

            Éponine relented, taking the bottle out of his hand and drinking straight from it. “I think you’d probably feel the need to drink less if you started taking your suppressants again,” she suggested, pursing her lips.

            Grantaire scoffed. He hadn’t taken his suppressants since collège. “Didn’t need them in the country, don’t need them here,” he protested with a hiccup.

“The way you ‘deal with’ your heat isn’t healthy, you know. I’ve read-“

            Grantaire let out a heavy sigh. “Oh go on, tell me what you’ve read so I can apply some biology study to every aspect of my life.”

            Éponine rolled her eyes. “Well, if you’re not going to take suppressants you could at least take care of yourself properly.” The suggestion was already heavy in her tone, but she said it anyway. “Find an alpha so you can stop being such a _putain_ around this time of the month.” With a smirk she continued, “Though I realize it’ll be hard to find one who’s actually willing to get into bed with you.”

            Grantaire made a face and ignore her snide remarks. They were friends so she knew that he wasn’t going to tear her a new one. He looked down at his phone with the top of the bottle pressed to his lips. Before Éponine had a chance to snatch it away, he leaned away from her and took another swig.

            She pouted and leaned back over to her side of the couch. “Who are you texting?”

            “Enjolras.”

            Éponine let out a snort. “The omega rights alpha?”

            Grantaire shrugged, not really seeing why that was worth mentioning. “He's at a house party with Marius and some friends, but apparently it's boring."

            “Marius?”

            It was Grantaire’s turn to snort. “You’re such a lovesick lush," he snickered as he texted a reply to Enjolras.

            “Lush? Like you can talk?” Éponine scoffed at him. “It doesn’t matter anyway.”

            Grantaire raised his brows and took another swig of wine. He looked down at his phone, checking for a reply, before swallowing. As he glanced back towards Éponine, he could see she seemed down.

          He sighed. “Marius is a beta, Éponine. He just… can’t feel the same way about you that you feel about him. You’re the biology major, you should know this better than I do.” He knew they weren't the most uplifting of words, but Éponine would find comfort in the biological rational.

            “I know he can’t,” she sighed. “I mean... it wouldn’t work... physically.”

            Grantaire snorted at that. “Well, you can always still be friends.”

            “Yay,” Éponine said with all the enthusiasm of a deflated balloon.

            They drank together for a while in a companionable silence. Grantaire was holding the bottle and Éponine had pressed herself against his side. Her head rested on his shoulder and her eyes were focused down between his legs where he was holding the bottle. Something told Grantaire she wasn’t looking at the bottle.

            Éponine pursed her lips in a thoughtful expression as she stared at the space between his legs. “If you’re not going to take suppressants you should find another way to deal with your heat.” Grantaire let out a groan but that didn’t stop her from going on. “I just don’t think getting yourself off with-“

            “Oh my god, are we seriously talking about this right now?”

            “-those knotted dildos is the best thing you can do for your body at such a delicate time.” Éponine slurred. She sounded like a reality TV doctor.

            Grantaire tossed his head back against the couch and sighed. “I just wanted to be drunk,” he said through clenched teeth. Just then his phone vibrated.

            He pulled it out to check the message. Holding it over his face to read it, he ended up dropping it on his nose. “Aïe, fuck!”

            Éponine giggled and plucked his phone off his face. “It’s from you lover boy.”

            “Who?”

            “Enjolras.” Éponine rolled her eyes. “He says a few of them are heading back to theirs for a little more drinking yet tonight if you’re interested.”

            Grantaire would usually be the first on his feet to a party that involved free drink of any sort, but he was a bit wary of his approaching heat.

            “Uh…”

            “Wait… didn’t you say Enjolras is Marius’ roommate?”

            “Yes? You didn’t know?”

            “I don’t know! Enjolras is usually too busy for parties and I never get invited to their boys nights!” Éponine stood on wine drunk, shaky legs. “Get your coat!”

            Grantaire whined, but he didn’t argue. He knew better than to stand between Éponine and a chance to see her Monsieur Marius.

            -o-

            It wasn't so much a party as a friendly hangout that evening. Marius didn't seem to have an off switch when it came to going on about Cosette. Grantaire tried to be encouraging without coming off as too obviously sarcastic. He let Enjolras, who had possibly been hearing about Cosette non stop since the semester began, be the voice of reason telling Marius very clearly that no one cared about his stalking fetish.

            “You’re like Don Juan, but you suck at seducing women... so not like him at all.” Grantaire shrugged and took another sip of wine. It was actually in a glass for once... he could be civilized in front of people.

            “ _Eh bof_ , when you put it like that...” Marius pouted.

            “I will call you that now. Don Juan! Just don’t kill professor Valjean in a passionate rage and then try inviting him to dinner.” Grantaire laughed to himself.

            Enjolras groaned with his face his in his hands. “Please stop encouraging him, _mon ami_. All I hear about morning, noon, and night is ‘ _Cosette! Ma belle! Mon amour’_!” Hearing Enjolras affect Marius’ voice sent Grantaire into a fit of drunken giggles. He leaned against Enjolras, pressing his face into his shoulder while he tittered. Judging by Enjolras’ expression, he didn’t find it funny in the least.

          “Well!” Éponine was quick to cut in. “I’m not tired of it! Go on, Marius.” She was kind to Marius, supporting him no matter how much it pained her to hear about his feelings for another woman.

          Both Enjolras and Grantaire sighed as Marius started gushing anew. They both tried their best to ignore him. Enjolras sat looking pissed as he angrily drank his wine. Grantaire was smiling though and he pressed his face into Enjolras’ neck. The alpha didn’t seem to notice.

          It was nearing midnight when Grantaire felt a surge rise up inside of him, a sudden warmth and tightness in his abdomen. He jumped away from Enjolras with a sharp intake of breath. It drew the alpha’s attention. For a second they were both just left staring at each other, Enjolras with a confused frown and Grantaire with his eyes wide in shock.

          “ _Tu vas bien_? What is it?” Enjolras asked, worriedly.

          “Nn.” Grantaire hoped that was a good enough answer because he couldn’t even begin to articulate a proper response. Enjolras was still looking at him when he stood from the couch and excused himself to use the washroom. Moments later he was back in the living room pulling Éponine away from Marius and towards the front door.

          "Aw, ‘aire. Why do we have to leave so soon! It's the weekend," she protested as he passed her her shoes.

          "It my..." Grantaire nosed vaguely towards his belly.

          "Oh.” Suddenly sobering up, Éponine’s expression grew deathly serious. She looked over her shoulder towards the friends in the living room. Enjolras was staring back questioningly, but she waved him off and turned back to Grantaire. “Lets get you home."

-o-

            Grantaire was grateful that his three-day-long heat fell on a weekend for once. For once it hadn’t interrupted his classes even if it had interrupted his partying. He couldn’t believe it had just snuck up on him like that. Usually it was quite gradual.

 _That’s what comes from hanging out in a house full of stupid alphas_ , he thought to himself with a frown. _Stupid biology_.

            Grantaire got back to school on the Monday feeling less than refreshed. When he went to meet Marius in the café for their usual morning cup of coffee, he realized he must have looked about as good as he felt. Marius was greeting him with a sympathetic smile.

            “Did you have your… thing?” he asked. "I guessed that's why you left so suddenly. Though everyone is on suppressants now, it usually only happens in period dramas."

            “Nn.” Grantaire sat down across from him and buried his face in arms. He didn’t care to hear about Marius’ assumptions. He was enjoying his pity party.

             Just then a large hand landed gently on his back. Grantaire stopped sulking against the table sat up abruptly. His entire body tensed like an electric shock had run though him.

            “Are you alright?”

            “Nn?” Grantaire looked up to see Enjolras standing over him with concern etched across his features. He was suddenly aware of how hot he still felt. It was as if the heat radiated from Enjolras’ touch.

            Enjolras’s brows arched as he sat down, his hand still on Grantaire’s back. “You seemed pretty out of it when you left the party on Friday. Then you didn’t respond to any texts.”

            Grantaire still hadn’t looked at his phone. He simpered. “Awe, were you worried about a poor little omega getting home?”

            “No, but I was worried about you.”

            Grantaire rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t stop the slight flush raising to his cheeks. He looked away from Enjolras and caught sight of Marius, grinning at the two of them like a maniac. Grantaire cringed. “Stop that, your face is scaring me.”

            Marius’ smile dropped immediately. “What’s wrong with my face?” he demanded with an indignant frown.

            “What isn’t wrong with your face?” Courfeyrac said as he arrived with Combeferre following close behind. They both pulled up a chair and joined them at the table.

            “Your smile is pretty creepy,” Combeferre added with a nonchalance that made Marius pout. “Sorry, you just have a weird face man.”

            Marius threw his hands up resentfully. “Aren’t you people supposed to be my friends?”

            His roommates snickered.

As they continued to banter, Enjolras turned to Grantaire.

            “I know that what you’re going through. Without suppressants, it can be hard on your own,” he murmured for their ears only.

            Grantaire resisted the urge to just straight up scoff. He instead placed his chin on one hand and stared at Enjolras with a single brow raised. “Please do tell me what you know about what I’m going through.”

          "Oh, lay off him Grantaire." Joly cut in as he sat down at their table. "You know what he meant." His words were stern but he was smiling.

          "I was just expressing my sympathies," Enjolras said politely.

          Grantaire hummed. "Well, next month I’ll have to work at figuring out a way to use your sympathies to get myself off."

          Enjolras blinked. His eyes lit up, whether it was shock or something else Grantaire couldn’t say. The other two alphas across the table were suddenly red in the face. With gruff excuses about a class that they didn't have, they got up and left. Marius jumped up and followed them out a second later when he remembered Combeferre had a book he’d forgotten to give him.

          Joly was obviously just holding in a laugh. As the barista delivered him a to-go cup and he said, "Well, I've actually got a class get to, you guys have a nice morning off."

            “Have a good one,” Enjolras shot him a quick smile as he got up to leave.

            Once Joly was gone, Grantaire snapped to Enjolras. “Have you and Joly gone out?”

            “Like… dated?” Enjolras frowned. "No. What gave you that impression?"

          Grantaire leaned back in his chair, eyeing Enjolras like he didn’t believe him. "He seemed quick to defend you," he said, a split second later adding, “and you smiled.”

          "We’re just friends, Grantaire. Joly's a sweetheart, unlike some people I know," Enjolras teased him with a deadpan expression.

          Grantaire pouted. "But you'd get bored of me if I was sweet all the time."

          Enjolras chuckled at that. "I don't think I’ll ever be bored of you, Grantaire.”

            Grantaire lowered his head, hiding a smile of his own. He was silent for a moment before suddenly piping up again to ask, “So, have you and Feuilly...?” He made a face that read ‘you know what I mean’.

            Enjolras pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a heavy sigh.

-o- 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> French interjections
> 
>  _Désolé_ \- sorry / excuse me  
>  _Mon dieu_ \- OMG!  
>  _Eh bien_ \- okay then  
>  _Bien sûr_ \- of course  
>  _Oui_ \- yes  
>  _Bof_ \- whatever (among other things)  
>  _Aïe!_ \- (as it sounds)  
>  _Putain_ – bitch  
>  _Bon d’accord_ – sure  
>  _Tu vas bien?_ \- You okay?  
> 


	2. Chapter 2

-o-

            It only took another month for Marius to actually walk up to Cossette and ask her out. Unfortunately the day he finally got around to it she was hosting a party at her Sorority house.

           “You should come, ah, Marius was it? I’d love it if you came. Bring friends!” she’d said. And in his flustered state Marius said of course he would.

           That was how Enjolras ended up sitting on a couch holding a single bottle of beer on one knee as he used his phone to update the Omega Lib events calendar. He’d invited Grantaire in hopes of getting a little entertainment, but when they’d arrived at the party, Grantaire only sat with him for a few minutes before going off with Éponine once she  had showed up. Judging by the fact that he was drinking absinthe straight from the bottle, Enjolras guessed he was planning to spend the night getting completely plastered.

           "He's been hitting the hard stuff," Combeferre said with a laugh as he flopped down onto the couch next to Enjolras over an hour later. He was a little out of it himself. Enjolras was too sober to deal with them all; he was only on his third beer in as many hours.

           “Who has? Grantaire?” he asked, even though he already knew the answer. “That’s no surprise.”

           “Man, he is wasted! Jehan’s been trying to chat him up for the last half hour. Someone should tell the optimist how hopeless that is going to be.” Combeferre snorted out a laugh.

           “Jehan? Jean Prouvaire?” Enjolras said, sounding sceptical. “We’re talking about the same Jehan right?”

           Combeferre nodded, snatching Enjolras’ bottle from his hand and taking a swig. “Not so shy when he’s had a few,” he chuckled.

           Enjolras didn’t find anything funny about that. He immediately got up from the couch. Squeezing past other partygoers, he searched the house for Grantaire and soon found him sitting on the counter in the kitchen with a half empty bottle of absinthe dangling from his fingertips. Standing a bit too close for Enjolras’ liking was Prouvaire - a good alpha, but a known romantic and flirt when drinking.

           Prouvaire was leaning with his hip on the counter next to Grantaire. He had one hand Grantaire’s knee - one hand that seemed to be edging higher as he spoke low into Grantaire’s ear making him titter drunkenly. Even at the worst of times, Enjolras typically found Prouvaire impossible to dislike, and somehow yet in that moment ‘dislike’ wasn’t a strong enough word.

           When Enjolras approached them, he could smell the sweet fennel scent of absinthe on his friend’s breath even at the distance. Prouvaire backed off slightly and greeted him with an oblivious nod.

           “Enjolras.” He said with a smile.

           “Jehan.”

           “Enj’ras!” Grantaire exclaimed happily upon seeing him. “Come join us! Jehan was telling me erotic poems!”

           Provaire feigned upset. “They were romantic poems! Not erotic!” The two of them laughed.

            “Grantaire, it’s getting late, I’m going to head home. Would you want to walk with me?” Enjolras asked as casually as possible while side-eyeing Prouvaire. They were friends, so Enjolras could only hope Prouvaire knew him well enough to know to back off.

            Prouvaire only laughed, making his own insobriety quite obvious.

“Don’t be so dull, Enjolras!” he drawled. “Besides, Grantaire here still has some drink left.”

            Grantaire looked at his bottle, seemingly surprised by this particular piece of information. “That’s true! I do still have some drink left!” he cried out at an uncontrolled volume, holding up said drink so Enjolras could see too.

            Enjolras gently pushed Grantaire’s hand down. “Yes, but why don’t you just save that? You’ve had a lot."

            “I'm fine!" Grantaire threw his hands up in his exasperation nearly smacking Enjolras in the face with his bottle in the process.

            Enjolras dodged it. With what could be called a growl, he shot Grantaire a stern glance. “Put the bottle down!"

            Grantaire stared at Enjolras; shocked by the way the man seemed to feel he could so bluntly order him around. With a wicked smile he held out his hand and let the neck of the bottle slip from his fingers. From so high up it hit the hardwood floor with a crash. A few of the other guests standing about in the kitchen jumped. Their eyes shot over to Enjolras and Grantaire.

            “ _Sapristi_!” Prouvaire took several steps back as glass and liquid skittered about his feet. “I’m going to go find our hostess. Someone needs to clean this up before anybody steps in it.” He headed out of the kitchen in search of Cosette.

Green shards of glass were scattered about where Grantaire was sitting. He was barefoot, having left his shoes at the front door. Enjolras was busy nudging larger pieces of glass away from main walkways.

            “ _Mon dieu_ , Grantaire!” he hissed.

            “You said drop the bottle!”

            “I said no such- Grantaire stop!” Enjolras stepped towards Grantaire just as he was about hop down onto the dangerous floor. Enjolras’ shoes crunched in the broken glass as he approached. He lifted the slightly smaller man off the counter and away from the glass.

            “Eh!” Grantaire shouted. “ _Lâchez-moi_!”

            “Grantaire, I’m just-”

            “Put me down!” Grantaire repeated more firmly as Enjolras headed towards the front door.

            “You’re drunk, and you were going to hurt yourself on the mess you made!”

            Grantaire wasn’t happy, but Enjolras’ sober logic was sound. So, he allowed the insubordination mostly because Enjolras was typically stern, but not this domineering. It was a bit of a surprise. And kind of sexy to Grantaire’s drunken sensibilities. Also, he’d never thought it might feel so good in Enjolras’ arms. Warm and… relaxing...

            “Are you falling asleep?” Enjolras asked as he made their way towards the front hall.

            Grantaire hummed contentedly. “You smell nice.”

            Enjolras laughed at the irony. He had to put Grantaire down once they reached the door, which made Grantaire irritable all over again. Thankfully, the entrance hall was devoid of partygoers.

            “Look, I wasn’t trying to tell you what to do,” as Enjolras spoke Grantaire let out an amused huff, “but I do want to go and since I invited you I don’t want to just leave without you.”

            Grantaire flopped heavily to the floor and began searching for his shoes among the pile there. He was still pouting even as he found them. “You’re not my alpha, I don’t see why you should care.”

            “I care because-” Enjolras stopped, a bit taken aback. He processed Grantaire’s words. Alpha? That train of thought hadn’t even...

Shaking his head, Enjolras put it down to the fact that Grantaire had been drinking. “You can go back in there if you want. I’m sure Cosette will be happy to see you again after she’s done cleaning absinthe and broken glass up off the kitchen floor,” he drawled, staring down at his friend pointedly with his arms crossed over his chest.

            Grantaire made a face and started haphazardly pulling on his shoes without doing up the laces. He muttered something to himself about how he didn’t even want to party anymore anyway. It took a lot longer than it should have, but he eventually got his shoes on. With a triumphant grin, he reached up towards Enjolras.

            Enjolras frowned, but Grantaire was staring up at him expectantly. With an exasperated sigh, he lifted the drunkard up off the floor. Even though he knew Grantaire was out of it and - as always when he’d been drinking - in a childish mood, Enjolras couldn’t stop his heart from racing as his friend wrapped his arms around him. He swallowed, his hands resting on Grantaire’s back as Grantaire nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

            “Now,” Grantaire murmured sleepily into his ear, shaking some of his dark hair out of his eyes, “take me home!” With that he let go of Enjolras, but left one arm around the taller man’s shoulder for support.

            Enjolras actually let out a breathy laugh. “Yes, your Majesty.”

            Grantaire grinned at that. He leaned against Enjolras’ side as they headed out the door. Grantaire’s place was in the opposite direction as Enjolras’, but neither of their houses was a long walk from the Sorority house which itself was just off campus.

            When Enjolras and Grantaire reached his home, the house was quiet. Éponine was still back at the party and Grantaire couldn’t figure out which key on his chain unlocked the door so they knocked. After  a while, one of Grantaire’s roommates let them in. She opened the door, barely saying two words to them before heading up the stairs.

            Enjolras walked them into the living room and helped Grantaire to lie down on the couch since he didn’t want to bother anyone further to help him find which door was Grantaire’s room. He knelt down next to his friend to gently place a cushion beneath his head. There was a quilt over the back of the couch and Enjolras pulled that down over him as well.

            “You’re so good, Enjolras.” Grantaire was looking at him with smiling blue eyes. He reached out to comb his fingers through Enjolras’ flaxen hair. “You should go home... before I do something that makes you hate me even more,” he giggled.

            Enjolras frowned at that. “I don’t hate you.”

            “Liar.”

            Enjolras leaned forward. He wanted to tell Grantaire exactly how untrue his words were, but his friend’s eyes were already sliding closed. With a sigh, Enjolras whispered, "Good night, _mon ami_ " and pressed his lips to Grantaire’s cheek in a friendly goodbye kiss, a gesture that made Grantaire snigger drunkenly. He stood and went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. Before leaving, he placed it thoughtfully on the coffee table.

-o-

            It had been two days since the party. The weekend was over and everyone was back in class except Grantaire who had taken that Monday off sick. Enjolras was standing outside his house trying to remember how he’d gotten there in the first place. Marius had picked up one of Grantaire’s assignments and had a book from the library to give to him, but he had also made plans to meet Cosette (which was obviously more important). He didn’t have the time to drop stuff off at Grantaire’s house like he’d thought he would.

            Enjolras had volunteered since he was finished class for the day and now knew where Grantaire lived. What he didn’t mention as that he really just wanted and excuse to check and make sure Grantaire was okay since he’d been black-out drunk last time they spoke and he wasn’t answering his texts again. Thus Enjolras came to be standing at the door to what he could now see in the light of day was a quaint little house Grantaire shared with Éponine and a beta couple.

            Enjolras knocked. Someone new answered. She was frowning at him, probably under the impression that he was a solicitor or something.

            “Hello?” she said slowly, confused by his unannounced presence at the door.

            Enjolras tried to look neighbourly. “Ah _,_ _bonjour_. I’m Grantaire and Éponine’s friend.”

            “Éponine’s not home!” He heard a familiar voice call out from another room, having caught half his words. The owner of said voice stepped into the hall. “Oh! Hello again.”

            Enjolras greeted the woman at the door. He recognized her as having let them in the day before. _These two were the beta couple_ , he supposed.

            She turned to address her... mate? Companion? Partner? Enjolras realized in that moment he didn’t know much about beta terminology. “Darling, this is Grantaire’s alpha. He was here yesterday.”

            “Oh!” The other woman replied just as Enjolras was crying out a surprised, “What?!”

            “No, I’m not, I’m just… I’m Enjolras,” he clarified quickly. He wondered where on earth the woman had got that idea after only seeing them for bare moments. “I’m just dropping off some school work for Grantaire.”

            “Poor baby is sick isn’t he?” The first woman said with a sympathetic expression. “Well, his room is the last one up the stairs.”

            Enjolras nodded and thanked her for the directions as he stepped through the door.

            He could tell something was amiss before he’d even reached the top of the stairs. The hall felt humid, even though it was quite dry weather outside. As he came nearer to Grantaire’s room, Enjolras realized he could smell him already, as if he were standing right there in the hall. Enjolras took a deep breath and braced himself as he slowly opened the bedroom door.

           For a long moment, he stood in the doorway, too taken aback to speak. There was Grantaire, laying face down in his bed, on his knees but with his chest pressed to the mattress and his arms lying limp at his sides. He was breathing heavily in his post-orgasm state. His lean body was coated with a sheen of sweat. Try as he might, Enjolras couldn't keep his eyes from traveling to Grantaire's presented lower half, raised and slightly angled towards the door. Enjolras felt light headed at the sight. Grantaire was dripping with natural slick. It ran down his thighs making them shine. And the worst of it? He had some massive toy lodged deep inside of him.

           Enjolras eyes snapped back up to Grantaire's face as his friend’s eyes cracked open. His blue eyes looked hazy, but the slight crease in his brow told Enjolras he'd been spotted and recognized. A little smirk turned the corners of Grantaire’s lips.

           "Enj'? You di’n knock,” he said in an uncharacteristically soft voice. With a breathless laugh and not a care in the world, it was safe to say... Grantaire was in heat.

           Enjolras swallowed a growl at seeing this wonderfully pliant side of Grantaire. It was an image that had presented itself so many times in his most secret fantasies, but it wasn’t one he was even sure he’d wanted to see in real life... until he’d stepped into that room.

           His abdomen grew tight with lust.

           "I have-" he cut himself off with a whispered expletive and his head dropped to his chest. He'd been holding his breath, but the intoxicating scent pouring off Grantaire attacked his senses as he took a breath to start talking. "I have your books," he tried again.

           “Tha’s nice o’ you,” Grantaire sighed.

           “I’ll just put them, ah, here.” Enjolras placed the pile right next to the door jam. He wasn’t taking another step into that room.

           Grantaire purred and affirmative, his back arching as he stretched. He let out a little moan as the toy moved inside him. As if Enjolras wasn’t even in the room, he reached back to readjust it.

            “Ah…” It was all Enjolras could do to bite back a moan of his own at the sight. He needed to leave. Immediately.

 -o-

           Grantaire watched Enjolras back out of his room without so much as a goodbye. He close the door behind him, obviously making a huge effort to do so quickly without slamming it.

           Grantaire let out a soft sigh, his breathing evening out as he stared at the place the alpha had been standing. He didn’t want to admit it, but the filthy idea of his friend bursting into his room, climbing into his bed and taking him with a wild hunger made his blood quickened. Enjolras would be careful, but all his well-garnered control would disappear as a heated wave drew it into a sea of passion.

           Grantaire flopped down onto his back on the bed. Suddenly and a lot sooner than usual, he wasn't feeling satisfied at all. With a sigh, he put one hand between his legs and turned his head into his pillow. He would never admit it to himself later even as he pleasured himself to the thought, but Enjolras set his blood on fire.

 -o-

           For once, Grantaire was the first to arrive at the café. He’d woken up too groggy and hungover to even bother trying to make himself a pot of coffee. Instead he’d just decided to head over to get a cup of Madame Thénardier’s finest... which wasn’t very.

           Repressing a grimace as he sipped his coffee, Grantaire looked up just in time to spot Enjolras coming in. The man was slouching, frowning down at his feet. As he ordered his face remained a mask of emotion. He looked over while he waited for his drink, catching Grantaire’s eye for the shortest second before looking away awkwardly.

           Grantaire smirked around the lip of his cup. _Cute,_ he thought idly.

           Even though no one else had arrived yet, when Enjolras finally came to sit down he sat with one chair between him and Grantaire.

            Grantaire let out a snorting laugh. “What are you doing all the way over there?” he purred, placing his chin in his hand as he focused Enjolras with his best bedroom eyes.

            Enjolras shifted uncomfortably. “I’m sorry, my friend. I don’t know if I can look at you for… a while.”

            “I can’t believe you’re making such a big deal of this. It was an accident,” Grantaire drawled. “What you saw is just a natural bodily process, happens to a quarter of humanity.”

            Enjolras let out an exacerbated sigh. “I’m not suggesting that it’s weird, I’m only saying that seeing someone who I have started to call a friend in bed with a giant…” Enjolras sucked in a deep breath that told Grantaire he was picturing it again. “It wasn't something I was planning for.”

            “Was my dildo too vulgar for you, Enjolras?”

            “Grantaire…”

            Ignoring the warning in Enjolras’ tone, Grantaire grinned. He went on to ask, “Why didn’t you just attack me?”

            “What?! I’m not a fucking animal,” Enjolras hissed pointing at his chest.

            “Well, I’m glad you didn’t. You must have some reign on your inner alpha,” Grantaire murmured as he ran one finger along the lapel of Enjolras’ coat. “But at the time I don’t think I would have minded if you’d attacked me… just a little bit.”

            Enjolras blinked down at him. “You have a problem,” he murmured.           

            Grantaire only smiled and gave a little shrug.

“I really thought Éponine might have stopped anyone from coming into the house.” He was really just thinking allowed as he said this.

            Enjolras practically sneered. “She wasn’t home, according to your _beta_ roommates and I guess they just thought you were sick.”

            Grantaire frowned. “Beta?”  he said, mimicking Enjolras’ tone. “Why do you say it like it’s an insult?”

            “ _Désolé_ ,” Enjolras sighed appologetically, “I don’t like being caught like that… in that sort of situation. It’s too… hard to…” He gestured vaguely, unable to explain himself.

            “I’ll bet it is.”

            “Be serious, Grantaire.”

            Grantaire could only laugh at that. “You don’t know me at all do you?”

            Enjolras placed a hand on the table between them, focused. “As I was saying, it was hard to stay in control.”

            “Control is overrated.” Grantaire winked at him, a smirk barely visible spreading across his lips.

            Throwing his hands up, Enjolras stopped trying to argue. “Of course, you’re right as always, Grantaire. I yield to your logic,” He declared, shaking his head in disbelief.

            Grantaire accepted his surrender with a nod, choosing to ignore the heavy tone of sarcasm in Enjolras’ voice. He took a victory sip. Like good friends, they were quick to move on from the awkward event.

-o-

           Midterms came and went, but the friends didn’t meet up for about a week during that time. Worse still, as soon as midterms were over with it seemed like finals were already fast approaching. When they had the time, everyone was keen to put off studying for a few hours just to meet up and relax.

           Grantaire slowly found himself becoming more and more comfortable around the alphas. Enjolras had been fine from the start, of course, but the friendship forming between Grantaire, Courfeyrac and Combeferre had started off a bit tense. Grantaire didn’t feel the faint sense of anxiety he once had when he’d turned up at their place only to find Marius wasn’t in and it would just be himself, Enjolras, Courfeyrac and Combeferre hanging out. Grantaire had unconsciously glued himself to Enjolras’ side for the entire evening. While Enjolras was ever the stone idol of no-nonsense and control, Courfeyrac and Combeferre said and did little (horribly stereotypical) things that every once and a while reminded Grantaire that ‘Oh yeah! They’re alphas’.

           Today was one of those days. Grantaire was sitting at their table in the corner of the café with the two of them. He was turned towards Combeferre, chatting about what courses were offered in the next semester when he heard a sniffling noise behind him. He ignored it, but Combeferre looked around him suddenly with a smirk plastered across his face.

           "Courfeyrac, are you scenting Grantaire?” Comeberre asked in the middle of their conversation. “You dog!” he chuckled.

           Grantaire didn’t find this funny in the slightest. “Are you scenting me?!” he demanded with a sharp glare. If he was, it was because he was getting off on it. Courfeyrac already knew full well that Grantaire was an omega, so there was no other reason for it.

           “No, I have a cold. I can't smell anything today.” Courfeyrac’s brows knit into an innocent expression. Grantaire was inclined to believe him. He did look wan.

           “Pervert!” Combeferre laughed as he teased.

           Courfeyrac seemed genuinely distressed by this. “I wouldn’t, honest!”

           He wasn't addressing Grantaire when he said those words. He seemed to be looking slightly over the omegas shoulder. Grantaire followed the gaze and turned to see Enjolras standing over him.

           Enjolras didn't look particularly amused. Without a word, he pulled up a chair and slowly sat down quite close to Grantaire, between him and the other alpha. His eyes didn’t leave Courfeyrac’s.

           Combeferre wasn’t laughing anymore. He cleared his throat and sat quietly. His eyes darted about as tried to look anywhere else while he waited for things to blow over.

           Meanwhile, Grantaire was looking back and forth between the three of them, confused.

           “Hello all!” Joly greeted, breaking the silence, happy as ever. He had a big grin spread across his face even as he dropped in on that awkward moment. His smile dropped slightly when he noticed Courfeyrac rubbing his nose with a tissue. He meticulously sat on the other side of the table between Combeferre and Grantaire.

           With a sigh he turned to Enjolras and toke notice of his especially stern mean. “Why the face?”

           Some of the tension left the air as Enjolras turned away from Courfeyrac with a heavy sigh. “Forget it,” he muttered. “I’ve had a bad start to my day.”

           "Anything to do with the email I got this morning?" Feuilly cut in, plunking himself down at the table with a frown of his own.

           "What email? I haven't checked mine yet," Joly demanded. “My computer is kaput and there’s no way I’m touching those germ infested keyboards in the library.”

           "Well,” Feuilly started, “Campus apparently doesn't have money for a safe center for omegas on campus."

           "Huh!" Joly huffed.

           "Wait," Grantaire cut in, "you guys are petitioning the school for... What? An omega only space?"

           Feuilly tilted his head to one side. "Well, yes."

           "That sounds kind of backwards. I mean, isn't that a bit like segregation?" Grantaire frowned at the idea.

           “No, of course it isn’t,” Enjolras sighed. “It’s a safe place for omega to go just to get away from whatever.” He gestured vaguely.

           “Cause we need a special place for that?” Grantaire let out an amused snort. “I’m sorry, but I really don’t see the point.”

           “Well,” Joly said with sullen expression. “I think it would be nice, I mean... not that I’m being harangued constantly, but during certain times of the month, you know.” He half-laughed to himself. “I don’t want to segregate myself, I just want to have a place where I can feel safe napping on a couch that isn’t crawling with diseases between classes. I guess not everyone feels the same way, but,” Joly shrugged, “some of us like the thought.”

           “Well said, Joly.” Feuilly gave his friend a nod.

           "Shit." Grantaire bit his lip suddenly feeling like a complete ass. "I'm sorry, I'm being a... _putain_... Sorry."

           Joly waved it off with a smile. "Don’t say that word... and it's fine. You’re a good devil’s advocate, Grantaire. Keeps us on our toes." He reached over and poked a now slightly embarrassed Grantaire in the arm.

           "Hell." Feuilly laughed humourlessly. "I bet there's a hundred omega on campus who think the same. The concept is hard to fully grasp."

           "But if we could get the center approved everyone would see how it's appreciated, even if only by a few people," Enjolras said in return.

           “I guess,” Grantaire murmured, still a bit sceptical.

           As they continued conversing, Enjolras put a comforting hand on his shoulder. It didn't move for long time. After a while he began to caress space between shoulder blades before Enjolras let his arm rest across the back of his chair.

           Grantaire shivered and a tingle ran through him from that place and lower. He cast Enjolras a quick glance, hoping he hadn’t noticed, before picking up his coffee and taking a long drink. It burned his tongue, but he didn’t care. He put it back down, shaking his head.

-o-

           "Hey, Grantaire!” Marius practically skipped up to him after his class got out. Obviously Marius know where to find him since he had been the one to give Grantaire the tour of the school, but still... Pontmercy was getting a reputation for being a bit of a stalker.

           “Have you seen Enjolras?" he asked with a smile. “I have some roommate business to discuss with him.”

           Grantaire shucked his bag onto his shoulder before crossing his arms over his chest. He frowned at Marius with his head tilted to one side. "No, not since we all got together this morning. Why are you asking me?"

           Marius shrugged. "Well, I though that since you two are together now-"

           Grantaire stopped him right there. " _Attends_! What?"

           "You’re dating... Or he's courting you... I'm not up on how it works with you guys cause of the whole mating thing." Marius laughed, rubbing the back of his neck.

           Grantaire actually laughed. "We're are not together, Marius. We're just friends," he clarified.

           Marius seemed genuinely confused. "But-"

           "Not dating!"

           “Well,” Marius pouted, "Does Enjolras know it’s like that?"

           In reply, Grantaire simply huffed. " _Bien sûr!_ He’s not an idiot.” He didn’t even need to say ‘unlike some people. Marius got the message and yielded.

 -o-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> French interjections
> 
>  _Désolé_ \- sorry / excuse me  
>  _Mon dieu_ \- OMG!  
>  _Bien sûr_ \- of course  
>  _Oui_ \- yes  
>  _Aïe!_ \- (as it sounds)  
>  _Sapristi!_ – (Tintin! But no seriously…) Christ!  
>  _Putain_ – bitch  
>  _Attends!_ – Wait


	3. Chapter 3

            "Marius thinks we're dating," Grantaire said to Enjolras suddenly. They were both finished with class for the day and Grantaire was sitting on the couch in the spacious living room of his friends’ costly apartment while he waited for Enjolras to return from getting them drinks.

            Enjolras had invited him over... alone. No Marius, no Courfeyrac, no Combeferre. They were completely alone in the big flat. It was a first.

            He heard Enjolras hum quizzically from the kitchen. A moment later, he came back into the room with two full glasses of wine.

            “I can’t imagine what gave him that impression,” he replied as he handed one glass to Grantaire before settling onto the couch next to him.

            Grantaire accepted the glass, still eyeing Enjolras. "We're not though."

            Enjolras cast him a sideways glance. "Of course not," he agreed after a pause.

            Grantaire stared right back at him over the rim of his glass. Suddenly his eyes widened. He let out a delighted hum. "What is this?"

            "Red wine?" Enjolras raised a single brow.

            "It's amazing!"

            "It better be, that bottle cost two hundred euro."

            Grantaire would have spat if he weren’t now aware that that would mean spitting out about twenty euro. He swallowed slowly. "W-what's the occasion?"

            “Our petition was successful.” Enjolras smiled. "The University is going through with setting up the centre."

            "That's great! So we're celebrating!" Grantaire sat himself up on the couch, excited for his friend’s triumph. With a steady hand he raised his wine glass towards Enjolras. "As one of the omega who will apparently benefit from your benevolence, here's to me!"

            Enjolras let out a quiet laugh. "Here's to you," he replied. He raised his glass to meet Grantaire’s and they clinked together in a toast.

            Grantaire took a sip. "I’ll have to actually see what this place is like now. Why aren't Feuilly and Joly here if we’re celebrating?"

            Enjolras lowered the rim of his glass from his lips and cleared his throat. "Because... It's... I said that, but didn't really invite you over to celebrate, per say."

            “Seriously?” Grantaire took a drink, raising a single brow. "But, you don’t usually do anything that doesn’t have something to do with some rights and liberties campaign unless someone else has forced you.”

            “That’s not true.” Enjolras frowned, leaning back to look at Grantaire pointedly.

            “Oh please!” Grantaire snorted out a laugh. “You’re like one of the marble statues in the courtyard outside the University. You’re a bit cold and you have a very singular purpose, but at least you’re nice to look at,” he teased.

            Enjolras was aghast for a moment. “Is that what you-?” He stopped. “Wait, so you find me attractive?”

            Grantaire looked away and swallowed audibly. “So what did you have planned for tonight?” he asked, changing the subject as quickly as he could.

            Enjolras shrugged. “I thought you and I could just hang out and watch a movie,” he continued even as he saw Grantaires eyes grow wide like saucers, “I found that one you where talking about all last week online and...”

            “Oh god! We are dating aren’t we?!”

            “What? No, of course not.” Enjolras pinched the bridge of his nose. “I just... You’re my friend and I just want to spend some time with you without... everyone else!”

            Grantaire pouted slightly. “But they’re our friends too, and we’re always with everyone else.”

            “Exactly. We’re always with everyone else.” Enjolras let out a heavy breath. “Sometimes I just want to hang out with you.”

            Grantaire felt a heat flare up in his cheeks and his chest tighten. “Um, what movie were you saying?” he asked quietly, diverting the conversation yet again. Enjolras didn’t seem to mind.

            “It’s on my laptop, I’ll just go grab it, one second.” He placed his glass down on the table and stood from the couch.

            Enjolras left the room for a minute. He came back quickly with his laptop and set it up on the coffee table in front of the couch. On his way in he had dimmed the lights, leaving the room filled with cliché mood lighting.

            Grantaire finished his wine before the trailers were even finished rolling. Just as the movie got started, he placed his glass down next to the laptop and leaned against the arm of the couch, away from Enjolras. He was lying in a way so that he could tuck his feet under Enjolras’ thigh keeping them warm. Enjolras noticed and looked over at him curiously.

            “You cold?” he asked midway through the opening scene.

            “Just my feet.” Grantaire shot him a tired smile.

            Without another word, Enjolras took his feet warm hands. He held his palms over Grantaire’s chilly toes for a while just to warm them up. Then, his strong thumbs pressed into the centres of Grantaire’s feet and he idly massaged them as the movie continued.

            Grantaire felt a twinge inside of himself and a sudden warmth spread through his body. He ignored it, but then a minute later it came again only with a tenfold increase. The shock of it forced him to sit up quite abruptly and let out a sharp sound. He stared at Enjolras who was looking at him, worried by the noise.

            “Um,” Grantaire said in an overly loud voice, trying to cover. He pulled his feet from Enjolras’ grasp, placed them on the floor and sat up straight.

            Enjolras seemed as shocked as he was. He leaned forward and paused the movie. “What’s wrong?”

            “I-I... I’m just going to run to the washroom.” With that said, Grantaire got up and left the room. Enjolras watched him leave with a partially worried and partially confused expression.

            Out of view down the hall, Grantaire didn’t actually need the washroom. He instead opened the door to Enjolras’ bedroom and closed himself inside. He stripped off his bottoms and placed the small pile of clothes on his friend’s bed. He sat on his pile and with flushed cheeks reached between his legs.

            “Oh perfect.”

-o-

            Enjolras sat in the living room for a long while, just staring at the paused freeze frame of their movie on his laptop. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked down the hall, wondering what was taking Grantaire so long. With a shrug, he decided to go looking for him.

            “Grantaire?” he called out as he walked down the hall. The bathroom door was slightly open and the light was off. He called out again, this time with confusion lacing his tone.

            “I’m,” Grantaire let out a strangled noise, “I’m in your room.”

            “Why are you in my-?” Enjolras didn’t have to finish. As soon as he opened the door he could very easily guess why Grantaire was in his room. The heady, unforgettable scent of Grantaire’s heat permeated the air. Enjolras had to choke back a gasp. There was an ache in his trousers told him that he was already being effected.

            He looked to his bed and was greeted by a sight he had both longed for and hoped that he'd never see again. Grantaire was just sitting there mostly naked with the loose-fitting green-plaid shirt he wore just barely covering down to the tops of his thighs. Casting a worried look down the hallway, Enjolras entered his room fully securing the door behind him.

            “Jesus,” he hissed. "Grantaire, you're in heat again."

            "Mm?" It was a shaky hum. "Oh, yes. It's sort of a monthly thing." Grantaire cracked one eye open just in time to see the look of sheer panic cross the alpha's face. He was still sitting at the edge of Enjolras' bed on the small pile he’d made out of his pants and trousers.

            Enjolras could see that it was doing little good. Grantaire was already wet enough to have soaked through the clothes down to the bed sheets. He fidgeted, fiddling with the bottom of his shirt in a way that made Enjolras want to comfort him and hold him down and fuck him at the same time.

            " _Mon dieu_ ,” he hissed as the two notions battled it out in his mind.  “I'll take you home, come get up!"

            Grantaire shook his head. He looked genuinely afraid that Enjolras would try. “But, if we leave the house you'll be fighting of every unmated idiot alpha off me the entire way."

            “I’m sure no one is going to attack us, Grantaire.” Still, the thought of another alphas hands on Grantaire made Enjolras' chest burn with an instinctual rage. He had to choke down a possessive growl. “Come on, I’ll get you-”

            Grantaire let out a strange sound and squeezed his legs together as Enjolras tried to approach. “Don’t come near me you make it worse!”

            Enjolras stopped dead in his tracks. “I make it worse?”

            Grantaire realized what he’d just admitted to with a scarlet blush. “I... I didn’t mean that.”

            "Grantaire."

            "This is mortifying, can you just...” There wasn’t much they could do. Grantaire supposed he could call the omega branch of the emergency services for a ride home, but that would cost him a couple hundred dollars that he didn’t have. He could walk and risk it but, being in the middle of his unsuppressed heat, he was likely to be attacked by an alpha less controlled than Enjolras.

            "You don’t have to feel that way,” Enjolras said reassuringly. “It's a naturally biological process."

            Grantaire let out a humourless laugh. "Are you using my words to mock me now."

            "I'm not. I just don't think you should have to feel embarrassed." Enjolras rubbed the back of his neck. "You weren't when I walked in on you before."

            Grantaire bit his lips and blushed though it was hardly visible on his already heated skin. "That was different I didn't feel the same way that time. I'm embarrassed because usually I know when my heat is coming. This sort of thing hasn't happened since I was small."

            "Did something trigger it?" Enjolras asked curiously.

            Grantaire looked up at him. "Don't you know?"

            Enjolras crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. He thought back to their evening. Maybe it was the wine? But Grantaire drank all the time. If drinking triggered his heat they would all be in trouble. So it wasn’t the drink, but then what could have...

            Enjolras sucked in a sharp breath. Suddenly, everything clicked into place.

            "Me?"

            Grantaire rolled his eyes. "I thought it was just being in a house full of alphas the first time we started hanging out but now my body wants to have your babies, I guess," he joked.

            "My... Oh." Enjolras felt a pleasured rumble attempt to escape his chest at that thought. "So we're compatible."

            "Sexually, at least. God, stupid biology. I sound like Éponine. Don't!" Grantaire urged Enjolras back as he tried to take another step into the room. "You'll regret it."

            Enjolras stopped. His lips thinned. He looked at Grantaire with a thoughtful expression. "I have a confession to make about the wine.”

            “Did you drug me?”

            “No! I-” Enjolras stopped when he noticed the weary smirk playing across Grantaire lips. He let out an exasperated sigh.

            “The wine and tonight in general," he clarified quickly. "Since I got the details about the school going through with the Centre I've finally had some time to think and,” Enjolras took a breath, “I realized that I want you and I to…”

            Grantaire waited, but Enjolras stopped. He didn’t know how to put it without sounding like a lovesick fool. With a sigh, he went with the first thing on the tip of his tongue. “I want you,” he confessed. “That’s what this evening was about."

            Grantaire was utterly taken aback. “But I annoy you.”

            “Marius and Courfeyrac annoy me, you... are different.”

            Grantaire burst into a fit of laughter, but stopped suddenly when he realized that, considering Enjolras, he had probably ruined a very meticulously planned evening. “Oh,” he whispered, “I’m sorry. I’ve put a damper on things, haven’t I? Well, if it’s any consolation I secretly worship the ground you walk on.”

            Despite the sarcasm, a laugh lit up Enjolras’ face. He let his thin red jacket slide off his shoulders and hit the ground with a dull thud as he approached the bed. He sat next to Grantaire on the edge of the bed and forced himself to think of anything besides Grantaire's over excited body next to him.

            Upon seeing Grantaire's almost fearful gaze he murmured, "don't worry I won't touch." He shot the omega what he hoped was a calming smile. “I just think we need to talk.”

            Enjolras' reign on himself was all well and good but Grantaire was having his own struggle with the alpha sat so near to him. He squeezed his legs tighter together in an effort to stop his body from embarrassing him any further.

            He hadn’t expected the evening to go this way. In his mind, his last heat had only just ended and his calendar said he still had about a week before the next was due. But then there was Enjolras. Being near him always caused a tingle like kindling burning in Grantaire’s lower belly. That evening the kindling had suddenly become a raging fire.

            " _D’accord_ ,” he whispered. “But, how are you so calm right now.”

            Enjolras raised a fine brow. "I feel the same way you do," he admitted easily. "I am simply in control of my body.”

            Grantaire flopped down against the mattress and let out a short whine.  "That's not fair. I want to see you lose control too, Enjolras.” He cast the blond a heavy lidded gaze. “You who are so very controlled."

            "Be serious," Enjolras murmured, pinching the bridge of his nose. Grantaire's new position was doing its part in quickly sapping his control.

            Grantaire hummed as he stretched out languidly across Enjolras' bed. His eyes darkened with lust.

            "I am wild," he purred, seductively. "It's this heat!"

            "Do you... Do you want my help?" Enjolras asked hesitantly.

            Grantaire looked up at him with wide, seemingly innocent, blue eyes. "By help do you mean fucking me?" he asked in return, answering Enjolras question with a question of his own. “It’s perfectly acceptable now because we’re dating.”

            " _Mon dieu_... how you tease." Enjolras closed his eyes and a deep growling rumble sounded from his chest. "I was going to suggest going to your house and picking up a few of your… things."

            "Why? All I need is right here.” Grantaire’s foot delicately ran over Enjolras thigh, finding its way to his lap. They both sucked in a breath as Grantaire’s toes found the evidence of Enjolras’ arousal through his trousers.

            Enjolras groaned, but he leaned back to give Grantaire more space. “Are you usually this forward?”

            Grantaire didn’t answer for a long time. He was too busy memorizing the shape of Enjolras’ cock through his trousers. Even through the thick cotton he could feel how hard Enjolras was. Loving the lewd sounds he could draw from the alpha, Grantaire hummed as his mind busied itself running through how he could make all his dirtiest fantasies a reality.

            “I’m sorry, it really is the heat. To be honest I don’t think my polite society filter is working anymore.” Grantaire blinked up at Enjolras innocently as he could while trying to get inside the alpha’s trousers with his toes. In all truth, he didn’t sound very sorry either.

            “You had a filter?” Enjolras said with a husky chuckle, but seconds later it turned into a short grunt. The sound suggested to Grantaire that his alpha friend was more effected than he was letting on.

            “Shut up. Come here,” Grantaire purred as he slowly spread his legs, exposing himself to Enjolras’ hungry eyes. "We can be serious later."

            Enjolras already knew he would not be able to resist long, still he fought his biological urges. But Grantaire smelled so sweet and wet for him. Just for him. Why would he deny his omega what he needed?

            No. Not his omega. Grantaire. This was Grantaire - his friend not his possession. If this was going to happen Enjolras was going to do right by them both.

            He sucked in a sharp breath as Grantaire arched back against the bed, putting his entire body on display. One of his hands was at the hem of his shirt, pulling it up while the other moved lower. “Stop that, Grantaire. You’ll make it worse.”

            To his credit Grantaire did, if only with a frustrated growl. He pulled a sheet over himself and pressed his legs together once more. “Then help me,” he keened.

            Enjolras eyes him with a soft gaze. "Are you sure?" he asked slowly.

            Grantaire let out a groan. "Yes," he hissed, "Enjolras, please."

            "And after?” Enjolras wondered aloud. “This isn’t like your ‘I wish you’d attacked me, but I’m glad you didn’t’ thing, is it? You’re not that far gone, are you?”

            "Enjolras,” Grantaire panted, “afterwards I will continue to worship the revolutionary the ground on which you walk on till the day I die! Just please!"

            Enjolras laughed at hearing that again. "Strong words. You haven't even had me yet."

            "Then you'd better not disappoint."

            Enjolras smiled, the unusual expression lit up his already handsome face. He crawled between Grantaire’s legs and leaned forward slowly and pressed his nose to the omega’s neck. Nuzzling the skin there, he inhaled. “Ah, fuck.” His grip tightened on Grantaire’s sides and he pulled him close for the first time.

            With a sharp whine, Grantaire slouched over as if in pain. He pressed a hand between his legs and his thighs tried to squeeze together again.

            The sight had Enjolras worried. He leaned back. "What's the matter?"

            "It's actually-!” the phrase ended with a slight whimper. “Hasn’t… It hasn’t ever been this bad before. I’m definitely ruining your sheets,” he said with a self-deprecating laugh. “Sorry.”

            Enjolras knew it wasn’t meant to, but Grantaire’s comment drew a rumble from his chest. He pulled Grantaire in closer and rubbed his chest, massaging his soar, sensitive nipples. "It's different when you're with an alpha," he explained. "I've heard it's better but the heat lasts longer when you're on the… Are you-?"

            Grantaire cut Enjolras off with a laugh, guessing his next words before he could say them. "Relax, I was just joking earlier. You don't have to worry about knocking me up."

            Enjolras nodded, feeling slightly embarrassed for asking. He was relieved, but somewhere in the back of his mind there was a nagging primeval sense of disappointment. Another desperate gasp from Grantaire brought him back to the moment.

            "So are we doing this or am I going to have to take care of myself?"

            Enjolras hid a smile against Grantaire's neck. “How do you usually do this?”

            Grantaire looked up at him through his tangled curls with a barely concealed blush. “I’m pretty sure you had a front row seat to how I usually do this last month,” he said coquettishly.

            “I know.” Enjolras chuckled at the reminder. He pressed his lips to Grantaire’s ear and whispered, “I want to hear you say it.”

            “You’re a horrible alpha.” Grantaire feigned a pout. “You’re supposed to take care of your omega, not force him into dirty talk.”

            “Well, to be honest,” Enjolras stared with a smirk, “if it wasn’t for the fact that I’m still dressed I probably would have lost it by now.”

            At the idea of seeing Enjolras naked, Grantaire made a keening sound. A pulse sent heat rushing between his legs. He felt like he was about to faint. His whole body suddenly went tight.

            “So?” Enjolras asked again. His voice was huskier than it had been before and his eyes were going wild. His breath was coming in deep through his nose.

            Grantaire could only imagine what scent he was projecting. If it was anything like Enjolras’ strong redolent of alpha Grantaire could see why he was going a bit feral. Still, Enjolras obviously had enough of his mind to know what he wanted and he wanted to hear Grantaire tell him exactly how he liked it.

            Grantaire looked to one side, and let out a shaky breath. “I’m usually drunk, because the wine… it usually helps me ignore the heat at stages and forget at others.”

            There was a short silence as his admission hung heavy in the air between them. Enjolras looked Grantaire in the eye while caressing the smooth skin of his inner thighs.

            “Do you want to be drunk now?” His voice seemed to have dropped an octave. It resonated through Grantaire causing him to shiver with anticipation. “There’s still a half bottle left.”

            “No.” Grantaire raised one hand to softly cup Enjolras’ cheek. “I want to remember everything.”

            “Everything?” Enjolras asked as he leaned in to press a teasingly delicate kiss to Graintare’s neck. He let his lips caress the dark barely-there stubble.

            Grantaire let out a pleasured hum. “Everything,” he repeated before looking up and down Enjolras’ still dressed form with intent. “Now, take off your clothes.”

            Enjolras was quick to get up upon receiving the order, but slow at the task. He teased, unbuttoning his shirt and exposing the well-defined torso underneath at a maddening pace. Grantaire had two fingers thrust inside himself by the time Enjolras got to the button on his trousers.

            “You’ll make it worse,” Enjolras intoned repeating his words from before. He shucked off his pants along with his trousers and climbed back into bed, settling between Grantaire’s thighs.

            “Oh,” Grantaire let out a shuddering breath at his first sight of Enjolras cock hanging heavy between his legs. His slick fingers left his body to wrap around the hard length of it - hot, thick, and already slightly swollen at the base where his knot would form. Enjolras put all of the toys back home in Grantaire’s sock drawer to shame.

            Enjolras was groaning as Grantaire’s slick fingers slipped over his cock. Pleasure flooded him as Grantaire’s fingers reached the place at the base. He could feel his blood pulsing to the engorged flesh. Lowering his head to Grantaire shoulder, Enjolras pressed hot kisses to his neck.

            Grantaire’s hand stilled. He turned his head towards Enjolras. Their eyes met. “Kiss me.”

            Enjolras didn’t hesitate for a second. His lips caught Grantaire’s. It was a fierce and bruising kiss. They were both wild, drunk on each other’s heat and passion.

            Grantaire wrapped his arms around Enjolras’ neck as he deepened the kiss. His fingers buried into gorgeous blond locks. Only when they were both starving for air did they part.

            Enjolras licked his lips as his gaze dropped to Grantaire’s. Slightly parted, wet, and kiss bruised, those lips begged to be ravished again. The full body shudder that wracked Grantaire’s form was the only thing that stopped Enjolras from doing just that.

            “You’re ready for me, aren’t you?” Enjolras whispered. His words sounded like they were not intentionally said aloud. Like he couldn’t control them anymore.

            He ran his fingers down the cleft of Grantaire’s ass, pressing against his slick hole without sliding in quite yet. “Fuck, you’re so wet,” he whispered. Grantaire’s body easily accepted his digits inside. Grantaire thrashed as Enjolras teased him.

            “I don’t even need to get you ready,” the alpha said even as three fingers slipped in and out. “Could just mount you rough as I like until you are locked on my knot. You'd like that wouldn't you.”

            Listening to those blunt sentences in such a filthy tone, Grantaire sucked in a breath. “The things you say,” he moaned. This side of Enjolras, this instinct driven, feral-minded alpha, it was a side that Grantaire was surely the only one to know.  It was a side that he hadn’t even thought could exist inside the pinnacle of self-control that was Enjolras.

            But, now, wildness had replaced control. He leaned over, breathing in Grantaire’s scent while with his hand not busy teasing Grantaire open he slipped that horrible green plaid shirt up until the fabric bunched under Grantaire’s arms. Grantaire jerked when Enjolras pressed his lips to his belly and mouthed upwards. He reached Grantaire’s nipples and passed over one with a purposeful lick before taking it into his mouth.

            “Ah,” Grantaire was clenching one fist in the sheets now while his other hand gripped Enjolras’ shoulder, nails biting into the skin of his back leaving thin red welts in their wake. “Enjolras.”

            Hearing his name, Enjolras only lifted his head for a short moment before moving to work the other nipple with his tongue and lips.

            “Enjolras!” He panted. Grantaire had to burry a fist in his hair and pull just to get some eye contact.

            “Hmm?” Enjolras pressed his face into Grantaire’s neck, scenting him even as he ignored the pull on his hair.

            “I need you inside,” he whispered, far too gone to feel embarrassed by his own words. His hand left Enjolras’ shoulder and slid down his lean chest, down across his tight abdomen to wrap his fingers around the swollen head of Enjolras’ cock before he stoked lower to squeeze the engorged base.

            Enjolras was far beyond words. He let out a deep grunt. Both his hand moved to grip Grantaire’s waist as Grantaire spread his legs wide. His knees were held up on Enjolras’ thighs as Enjolras kneeled to move in closer.

            Enjolras lifted him, using his first grip on Grantaire’s body to bring him firmly into his lap. His cock pressed between Grantaire’s firm cheeks, his slick making it oh so easy to rut against him. 

            “Enjolras!” Grantaire was begging now. His entire body moved with the roll of Enjolras’ rutting, but gained none of the satisfaction it was demanding.

            Enjolras stilled Grantaire’s bucking hips, holding him down against the bed. He took a deep breath calming himself. It was hard to do with Grantaire’s legs wrapped tight around his body, trying to pull him in.

            Enjolras pushed Grantaire’s curls off his sweat soaked forehead, before leaning in for a kiss. Grantaire’s fidgeting stopped. For a split second the white-hot fire raging through him dulled to a calm red blaze. His hold on Enjolras tightened, fingers digging into back.

            “Need you,” Grantaire breathed against the alpha’s lips.

            With a barely contained growl, Enjolras grabbed at the hem of the shirt Grantaire was still wearing and practically ripped it from his body. He crouched over Grantaire, inhaling his sweet scent anew while his hips thrust forward sliding the head of his cock over Grantaire’s slick hole. Enjolras took himself in hand and slid right into that tight, wet heat.

            Grantaire arched off the bed as Enjolras filled him, his eyes wide as if he’d just seen the face of god.

            “Fuck!” he gasped breathlessly. “Oh, fuck. Enjolras.”

            Enjolras growled at the pleasured keening.  It wasn’t begging, Grantaire’s tone was one of gratitude. He relished being taken, but his need was still there, Enjolras could smell it thick in the air. His hips snapped forward.

            Grantaire urged him on, meeting each powerful thrust with his own, pulling Enjolras in deeper. They soon found a steady rhythm. Each thrust drew needy cries from Grantaire. The tempo picked up and they soon fell out of step, drunk on each other’s scent as the individual smells intermingled into an intoxicating cloud of their combined passions. 

            It only took a few thrusts for Grantaire to come, spattering across his chest. His oversensitive body shivered, going limp in Enjolras’ arms. He only just had the stamina to keep his limbs wrapped around the alpha’s body.

            Enjolras couldn’t stop. His cock throbbed as Grantaire’s body grew tight around it in his climax. He continued to rut into the gasping omega beneath him, thrusting in short rough jabs, his ass flexing each time he bottomed out.

            Because of his heat, Grantaire’s cock wakened again quickly. He dug his blunted fingernails into Enjolras’ shoulders and cried out as the alpha reached pleasure spots Grantaire hadn’t even been aware he had. With each thrust now, Enjolras’ knot was slipping in and out, stretching past Grantaire’s hole every time. At first it felt just like one of his dildos, but soon it grew and his body was shuddering in anticipation for what was to come next.

            When Enjolras’ knot swelled big enough to lock them together, Grantaire rolled his hips to meet his silting thrusts. Each time he did it nudged Enjolras deeper. He squeezed around the thick cock buried inside him.

            “Enjolras,” Grantaire cried out. Even though he’d already come, his heat driven body wasn’t satisfied. “Breed me. I need it, please,” he gasped.

            At hearing those ardent words, Enjolras’ hips jerked forward and he came. He held Grantaire close, his cock twitching inside the omega’s body as he filled him. Grantaire let out a sharp cry and reached a second climax along with Enjolras.

           The wet heat of Enjolras copious seed was like a cool breeze to Grantaire. He felt a wave of calm wash over him as the haze of his second orgasm faded. They both lay still for a long while, just gasping.

            “God,” Grantaire whispered, “that was... that was too good. Ah, Fuck!” He immediately stopped moving just as he tried to pull away.

            “Sorry,” Enjolras panted.  He rolled onto his back, allowing Grantaire to lie across his chest while they waited.

            “The mechanics are so much less complicated when I do this on my own,” Grantaire grumbled as he slumped on to of Enjolras. They would be locked together for quite some time.

            Enjolras let out a breathless laugh. As he calmed down his mind wondered on some of the things they had both said in the heat of their passion. “I know I also said some things in the heat of the moment that I wouldn’t normally… but… breed me?”

            Grantaire blushed. “It was dirty talk. Shut up,” he said through pursed lips.

            Enjolras chuckled. “Real dirty,” he agreed with a grin. “What did I say? ‘You’re so wet for me’? _Mon dieu,_ ” he pinched the bridge of his nose, but even as he shook his head he was smiling.

            Grantaire hummed a sleepy affirmative. "Something else about mounting me too.” With a victorious smirk he added, “You got off on it, admit it.”

            “I did no such thing,” Enjolras said, though the gleam in his eyes spoke differently. He was just leaning in to kiss his well-sated lover when there was a knock at the door.

            “Enjolras! What the fuck is going on?” came Courfeyrac’s voice. “I just got home and the entire flat smells like an omega in heat. I have a fucking exam to study for and I can’t think straight!”

           “Do you have a problem with my smell, Courfeyrac?” Grantaire replied, glaring at the door that was keeping him from seeing Courfeyrac’s stupid face. He was going to pay dearly for spoiling the afterglow.

            There was a long silence from the other side of the door, but Courfeyrac hadn’t moved. After a while the he let out a hesitant laugh muttered an awkward, “ _Ah, bonjour_ , Grantaire.”

            Enjolras had to bit back a smile at how unimpressed Grantaire looked. “Courfeyrac, do you mind?”

            “No! Not at all! I’m going to visit my parents actually! I’ll just study over there this weekend and… uh… yes… see you on Monday!”

            “ _Au revoir_ , Courfeyrac,” Grantaire said, putting as much implicit threat into his tone as he could muster.

            They heard Courfeyrac let out yet another awkward laugh from behind the door before his footsteps were heading speedily back down the stairs and out of the house.

            “We’re not going to live this down,” Enjolras murmured more to himself than to Grantaire who simply shrugged in response.

            “If we murder him, no one will have to know,” he said, eerily deadpan.

            Enjolras smirked and pressed a kiss to his neck. “You are wild,” he murmured.

-o-      

           When they finally left the bedroom after a particularly satisfying round to get some food, they found a sticky note on the fridge. It read simply:

_Hey, Enjolras! Congratulations on the sex! - Combeferre_

           “Wow,” was Enjolras only response to that.

           “It’s fine we can murder him too.”

            Enjolras leaned in to steal a kiss. Just before their lips met he whispered, “We don’t need to murder anyone. I can think of other ways to get back at them.”

            Grantaire barely got a second to smirk before his mouth was occupied in an all-consuming kiss. As they parted, he nodded towards the kitchen table.

            “Think they’ll mind?”

            Enjolras didn’t even bother to issue a response. He simply lifted Grantaire up off his barstool and carried him towards the table. Grantaire wrapped his legs tight around Enjolras hips allowing himself to be carried. Burring his face in the alpha’s shoulder, he hid a wide smile.

            Enjolras laid him out flat against the hard surface and fucked into him with hard steady strokes. Grantaire had to grip the edge of the table to keep from sliding away. By the time they were finished, he was pretty sure the table was a full foot closer to the wall than it had been before.

            “I hope you realize my submission doesn’t extend outside the metaphorical bedroom,” Grantaire clarified as the lay waiting for Enjolras’ knot to subside. He added the word since it apparently extended to the kitchen as well.

            Enjolras hummed in agreement as he mouthed Grantaire’s neck. “I would have it any other way. I want you, heat or no.”

            “You want me?” Grantaire laughed. “I think you should wait until the afterglow has worn off and you remember who you’re in bed with.”

            “No need. I said it before and my thoughts are clear. I. Want. You.” Enjolras himself repeated slowly, leaving no room for misinterpretation.

            "Hmm, Enjolras to be my alpha?” Grantaire let out an amused huff. “What ever happened to equality?"

            Enjolras cast him a dejected look. "You’ll have me."

            "That's worth the same?" Grantaire teased in return.

            "Maybe not."

            Grantaire blushed. As he sat in stunned silence, Enjolras simply smiled. He seemed on the verge of saying something, but Grantaire pressed the tips of his fingers over his mouth, effectively silencing him.

            “Tell me again,” he whispered.

            Enjolras took his wrist in hand and kissed his fingertips. “I want you.”

-o-

**Epilogue**

-o-

            Going back to school and seeing their friends for the first time since their weekend together was eventful to say the least. Word about their weekend had gotten around fast. That was obvious enough.

            “So I can empty out your sock drawer now, right?” Éponine asked, joining them for breakfast at the café Monday morning.

            “No,” Grantaire said in the exact moment Enjolras was replying, “Yes.”

            The two of them looked at each other.

            “You won’t need them,” Enjolras assured him, with a wicked barely-visible smirk.

            Grantaire rolled his eyes. “What if you’re out saving the world or inciting some sort of civil unrest one night?” he demanded with a little pout. “I need something to hold me over.”

            Enjolras didn’t seem satisfied with this response. “I’ll just come home.”

            “And when you do,” Grantaire purred, “after a hard days protesting, you’ll open the door and find me waiting in your bed with a nice big-”

            “Okay! I don’t think anyone needs to hear the rest of that sentence,” Courfeyrac said as he and Combeferre joined them at the table.

            “ _Salut_. Did you guys get my note?” Combeferre asked with a wide grin. “Sorry I didn’t add your name, Grantaire. Courfeyrac only let me know it was you later. Still, congrats on the sex.”

            Two identical groans came from the other side of the table while, Éponine burst into an uncontrollable fit of giggles. “Combeferre, you’re so thoughtful,” she said, patting his hand.

            “ _Bien sûr!”_

            “So should we expect to see your stuff moving in?” Courfeyrac asked as politely as he could. He was very aware of how thin the ice was between he and Grantaire, even if Combeferre wasn’t.

            “Who’s moving in?” Marius asked, picking up the middle of their conversation as he joined them as well.

            “Grantaire, since he and Enjolras are an item now.” Combeferre wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

            “Oh really?” Marius pouted, probably because he thought Grantaire must have lied to his the week before when he’d said they weren’t dating. “Well, we’ll have to make room for all that art supplies.”

            “Hey, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here,” Grantaire cut in quickly.

            “Yeah! What am I suppose to do if he moves out?” Éponine demanded. She turned to Grantaire and clutched his hands in hers. “Please, don’t move out until I’ve found a new place!”

            “Of course not!” Grantaire laughed. “Look, Enjolras and I haven’t even talked about any of this.” He looked over his shoulder to where Enjolras had been sitting, eerily silent throughout the entire exchange.

            Enjolras blinked as though he was waking up. He seemed indifferent, but Grantaire knew their weekend had pleasantly exhausted him. “To be honest, I was considering getting a new place.”

             “Oh?” Grantaire’s eyes widened.

            “An apartment or something. You know.” Enjolras shrugged. “Just the two of us.”

            “Sap.” Grantaire said even as he smiled.

            Amidst the tender atmosphere, Combeferre, Courfeyrac and Marius looked aghast.

            “But… but you can't move out!” Combeferre said with a worried expression. He’d lived with Enjolras since they’d both first moved out on their own. The notion of not having his best friend around all the time was unthinkable! “Will your new place be big enough at least?”

            “We can all hang there right?” Courfeyrac added.

            “We’ll help buy you a big enough couch and everything!” Marius suggested

            “Wait,” Courfeyrac re-joined, “let’s not go that far.”

            “Guys,” Enjolras cut them off with an exasperated look. “I’m sure both myself and Grantaire will have no qualms over out place being a hang out location, but nothing’s set in stone, alright?” His reassurance seemed to calm the other three down.

            “I do like the couch idea though,” Grantaire murmured with a smirk.

            “Well, hey!” Marius clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. “While we’re on the subject of furnishings, has anyone else noticed the kitchen table is a bit wobbly all of a sudden?” he asked with a little frown.

            Among the murmurs of agreement, the sound of barely contained laughter could only just be heard.

-o-

La Fin

-o-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> French interjections
> 
>  _Mon dieu_ \- OMG!  
>  _Bien sûr_ \- of course  
>  _D'accord_ \- okay  
> -o-
> 
> Thanks for reading~! As always comments and kudos are much appreciated and make me happy! :D Au revoir et merci~!


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